4 hurt in Maguindanao anti-drug operation
Breaking News • 05:42 AM Sun Feb 26, 2017
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By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
Elements of 33rd Infantry Battalion help an injured drug personality following an anti-drug operation in Maguindanao on Feb. 25, 2017. (33rd IB photos)
DATU PAGLAS, Maguindanao -– Two suspected drug
pushers and two soldiers, including an Army lieutenant, were hurt in an early
morning anti-drug operation by government forces in a remote village here
Saturday.
Joint elements of the 33rd Infantry
Battalion and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-ARMM) swooped down a safe house in the middle of banana
plantation in Barangay Lipao at the break of dawn, surprising suspected drug
pushers, led by one of Maguindanao’s most wanted drug personality Abdulatip Pendaliday.
A brief firefight ensued until the drug pushers,
including Pendaliday alias Commander Grasscutter, fled to different direction.But two of his men were injured and later brought to
33rd IB headquarters where they were given first aid medical
treatment by soldiers following the 6 a.m. operation.
Lt. Colonel Harold Cabunoc, 33rd IB
commander, who joined the operation, said more than P500,000 worth of suspected
shabu, drug paraphernalia, cash and an M-16 Armalite rifle.
There were about 15 of them in two shanties
situated in the middle of the banana plantation apparently to avoid detection
by anti-drug operatives, Cabunoc said.
No automatic alt text available sand//scontent.fmnl4-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16997747_10212039245084304_1480805659055494280_n.jpg?oh=5ef067586e19912185ae4820ea0510bbandampoe=593F8BF8 As the operatives reached the site through a guide,
soldiers and PDEA operatives opened fire, triggering a brief firefight. When
the smoke was cleared, two suspects were injured.
This is our commitment to help PDEA in the war on
drugs, Cabunoc said.
He said Pendaliday who has about 15 armed followers
had voluntarily surrendered during the Oplan Tok-Hang of the PNP. Obviously, he was back to his old ways, Cabunoc
said even as he vowed to clear his area of jurisdiction of persons involved in
illegal drug trade as directed by higher headquarters. (Ferdinandh Cabrera) No automatic alt text available sand//scontent.fmnl4-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16938897_10212039243524265_4648297694205471932_n.jpg?oh=c48c18aed0d7b8541bd03708f3766c9dandampoe=59293F9E Image may contain 1 person sand//scontent.fmnl4-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/16939363_10212039243564266_8776424458378665815_n.jpg?oh=b0ec8e3d445655a55ec5950dcf4a8379andampoe=5937EC89